


Like Sand Through Fingers

by The_Saint



Category: As Time Goes By
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Misunderstandings, Regret
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-12-03
Packaged: 2018-01-01 02:12:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Saint/pseuds/The_Saint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The initial misunderstanding caused by the stress of the move leads to a disagreement and while both Jean and Lionel stubbornly sulk they will be forced to reconsider and re-evaluate their lives together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Missed Opportunities

**Author's Note:**

> First time fic on here so hang in there. Please ignore any/all spelling and grammar mistakes, will try to keep these to the minimal.
> 
> I own nothing.
> 
> I've rediscovered my love for 'As time goes by' which is utterly fabulous and I just love Jean and Lionel, they're completely loveable and just so sweet. This idea is based around the third series, the episode 'Living together, but where.' This is just my wee twist on things, a random idea which I thought went well with the 'disagreement' they had at the end of the episode.
> 
> This maybe familiar as I had originally uploaded this idea on ff.net

"Perhaps...we should have a few days off." Suggested Lionel, as he placed his empty glass beside the assorted photo frames and crystal decanters

Jean sighed, "Oh, we're back to that are we?" her bottom lip trembled as she turned around to face him

Time itself stopped abruptly as they stared intently at each other, the tension was overwhelmingly heavy as they waited in an uncomfortable silence for the other to speak.

He licked his dry lips, "We don't seem to get passed it, do we?"

Jean wanted to say something but her throat constricted sharply and she hesitated, unable to trust her own voice which threatened to inadvertently expose the raw pain that seemed to intensify with each irregular heartbeat. Instead, she simply sighed half-heartedly and reluctantly turned away from his staring eyes and occupied herself by fidgeting with her jewellery.

Lionel continued to stand at the living room door and remained silent; he was equally disappointed and hurt with the recent turn of events as the entire day had been a complete farce caused by a misunderstanding on both parts. Lionel suddenly blinked, fighting the urge to reach out for her shoulder; her body language prevented any further conversation. There was anger and frustration that brewed on both sides and with that Lionel shuffled out of the living room and let himself out.

The door slammed purposely behind him.

Despite it being early evening, grey menacing clouds rolled over the sky which seemed to reflect his mood perfectly. Lionel descended down several of the stone steps and looked back at the front door perhaps on a whim or flying fantasy, Jean would have raced to the door to watch him off or called out for him.

He forced his hands in the shallow pockets of his jacket and marched along the deserted street. It would have been far easier and more convenient to have flagged a taxi and be home within ten minutes but in his current mood, he decided to walk home in order to rid himself of the nervous energy that he had accumulated from the 'move' where he had anticipated the arrival of Jean into his home and for another chapter of both their lives to begin.

Lionel scowled, he reminisced the scathing words which echoed in his mind, 'You couldn't afford to keep me.'

It was another bitter reminder that he had very little savings of his own and the book had not been an overall success although it had not been deemed a complete failure either however it failed to provide him with the income that he desperately wanted in order to be able to lavish gifts upon her, to provide for himself and Jean but to also prove that he was a success in his own right and able to offer something else in terms of their relationship. It was an endearing quality and gentlemanly tradition that Lionel was suppose to be able to take care of Jean and have the ability to cater to her every whim and not have the constant thought of finances dwindling at the back of his mind.

Jean glanced at her wristwatch and yawned. The events of the day had completely exhausted and drained her, as she gulped the remains of her drink before contemplating whether or not she should have another drink. She noticed the glass that Lionel had used before his abrupt departure, Jean sighed as she poured a generous amount of gin then diluted with tonic water, she glanced down at the glass in her hand with teary eyes. She was suppose to be happy, they were suppose to be happy and proposing a toast in order to celebrate the new move.

'We don't seem to get passed it, do we?' His hoarse voice replayed in her mind

Jean cringed inwardly as she remembered the distinct tone of voice, Lionel sounded impatient and frustrated at the entire situation where it seemed that fate had conspired against both Jean and Lionel that prevented the couple from ever being together. It was one misunderstanding or complicated hurdle after another that would prevent the couple from making any progress but only to be stumbling and unable to move forward.

Lionel entered his flat where loneliness and darkness greeted him upon his arrival. He locked the door and threw the keys into a bowl before he reluctantly dragged himself into the living room and heavily sat down on the couch. He sighed when he caught sight of the telephone and resisted the urge, the gravitational pull to dial her phone number but stubbornly refused to move but could not prevent his imagination from concocting various scenarios regarding the move until a sudden thought struck him.

'I wonder what she's up to now?'

The house lay in darkness where the only movement was the ticking hands of the clock which hung on the wall. Her eyes were closed; her mind had surrendered into the blackness of unconsciousness.


	2. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so apologies for the delay but work and my (lack of) mojo hasn't helped.  
> I own nothing, etc.  
> Please ignore any/all spelling and/or grammar....hey I try!  
> Enjoy x

Judy paced impatiently as she held her arms which trembled fuelled solely by her adrenaline and anger tightly around her chest.

She stalked the empty corridor like a hungry lioness while her fragile eyes remained averted towards the ground in order to avoid the seemingly unusually bright lights. Judy felt her body shiver involuntarily and remembered how she disliked the hospital environment which conjured long forgotten and suppressed memories of visiting her father but at that time she was too young to understand although she had a vague recollection of shattered pieces and images which now resurfaced, she still felt a feeling of overwhelming helplessness and dread.

Stubbornly, Judy finally conceded defeat and fell heavily into an uncomfortable plastic, hospital chair. Her knees could be compared to that of a newborn lamb that was unsteady and trembled badly in order to find their balance. She glanced at her wristwatch which provided a momentary distraction but she sighed loudly, upon discovering that it was still early in the day and yet she felt completely drained both physically and mentally.

Judy chewed on a ragged fingernail and nervously tapped her foot against the floor as she continued the mental torture of painstakingly waiting for the doctor to speak to her.

~~~~~

He glanced at the alarm clock and grumbled under his breath as sleep had continued to elude him. The exhausting events of the move had been more taxing than he thought and throughout the night he continued to dwell on the events.

Lionel sighed as he wrapped his dressing gown around himself and shuffled into the kitchen, preparing himself the first of many cups of coffee that would help him to function throughout the day where no doubt Alistair would arrive at some point, depending on his busy schedule, unannounced and pester him about writing a second book.

There was not enough coffee in the world that would give Lionel the energy, strength or patience in order to deal with Alistair, who often meant well but he was not in the mood to face Alistair or anyone else for that matter.

Jean, a vision of her snaked into his conscious thoughts, he could not bare to think of her, put aside his ego and pride. Lionel was hurt.

The move was supposed to mark another milestone in their relationship. The fact that they had found each other and reconnected after nearly thirty years apart was just short of a miracle of biblical proportions but the misunderstanding on both their parts was simply another hurdle that prevented them from moving forwards and Lionel, in all honestly was frustrated.

He grew frustrated with the silly little mistakes, the misunderstandings but also at himself.

His thoughts continued to centre on Jean, his one and only love until a dark thought inked his thoughts after all it appeared that there was a force that willed them to fail or that perhaps Jean did not want to be with him. Lionel grimaced at the mere thought, knowing that Jean was neither superficial nor shallow but he had been secretly worried about not being able to provide or offer any financial security or have the luxury of spoiling and lavishing her with gifts that she rightly deserved.

Lionel wanted to be able to offer her the world and beckon to her every whim and whatever her heart desired but most importantly he desperately wanted to attempt to make up for all those long lost years that they had spent apart.

 

The sudden sound of the telephone jarred him from his thoughts.

“Who the hell would be phoning someone this early in the morning? I swear if that’s Alistair....” he grumbled and snatched the receiver, “Hello.” He answered firmly

The sound of the voice on the other side of the telephone instantly had Lionel’s attention, immediately his posture changed, standing to attention as if on military parade as he carefully listened to the voice that rendered him speechless.


End file.
